Scientists have made discoveries in the Caribbean and the Pacific that may offer some hope for coral populations decimated by climate change.
Researchers have found that some corals are less affected by the change than their neighbors, and some are even totally resistant to the changes.
While the reasons are complex why some corals may be resistant to change, the study does offer some hope. Researchers hope to be able to determine why these “Oases” of corals exist, and use the information to prevent or reverse the decline in coral at other locations around the world.
Dr. James Guest from Newcastle University stated:
“Identifying cases in which individuals or communities perform better than their neighbours, despite being at equal risk, is common in public health and medical fields and using a similar approach in ecology can help us to identify areas that can be prioritised for conservation.”
Although the find is a a positive turn in the fight to save corals, Dr. Guest added:
“This glimmer of hope does not mean we can be complacent about the severity of the crisis facing most of the world’s coral reefs.”
